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This is a practical guide for people who are interested in community development. The approach in this guide reflects the principle of sustainability, the need for passion and the belief in co-operation when creating attractive neighbourhoods.The content covers ten selected examples of community development processes from three countries (Sweden, Finland and Latvia). These stories were part of a project entitled CADDIES (Creating Attractive, Developed and Dynamic Societies together with Inhabitants). During the years 2009-2011, the CADDIES project has tested and developed methods which will empower and enable different residential groups to take charge of the development of their own environment. The most important findings and stories have been collected in this guide to offer new points of view and inspiration in the field of neighbourhood action.

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Page 1: CADDIES - Ten ways to create empowered neighbourhoods

new ways to create empowered

neighbourhoods

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10 new ways to create empowered neighbourhoods

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This manual is filled with stories about people powered change, and those special people who support that change. It sets out a path for community builders (caddies) who are passionate about putting citizens in the driving seat of social change, and invites all who aim to work effectively with communities to ask two important questions:

1. Where are we replacing, controlling, overwhelming the power of people to be producers and co-producers of their own and their community’s wellbeing?

2. How can we listen better to what people in civic space care about enough to act upon, and what they would like us to do to be helpful to their endeavours?

There can be no sustainable or sustaining substitute for com-munity in caring for the earth, our economy and our health and wellbeing. All these dimensions of life call on us to use our civic muscle, our capacity to come together for people pow-ered change.

The belief that there are certain things only people organised in communities can do is at the heart of effective community de-velopment. The art of building hospitable communities where

Putting people in the driving seat of social change

Introduction

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everybody belongs and everyone can contribute their gifts is one of those, and is perhaps the most important of all. External experts cannot raise our children, care for our sen-ior citizens, or build our friendships; they can not live for us nor can they die for us. These are challenges we must face up to using people power, but by facing them we can ensure that the things we love will shape our lives and our communi-ties, with professionals and systems there to support us in the same way that a caddie supports a golfer.

When it comes to building strong connected communities the best place to start is with what people have: the capacities and resources that are local, with the half full part of the glass, rather than the half empty. Sustainable development has nev-er been built on the back of people’s misery. This is one of the reasons why we need to move away from analysing people based solely on their needs and deficiencies. The only thing that needs analysis, is needs analysis, for too often it results in local residents believing that if anything is going to get better in their community, it is because someone outside is going to come in and make it better.

This belief reflects the unhealthy dependency that can build up when we inflate the power of external experts to address local challenges; it fails to recognise the treasure found in every community-hidden in plain view. A treasure throve filled

Introduction

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with individual gifts and skills, the contributions of local clubs and groups, the natural and built resources, as well as the economic exchanges and heritage are there to be discovered in every neighbourhood.

This manual views people and the communities they live in as endowed with competencies as well as needs; it illustrates beautifully the power of supporting people to turn to one an-other in conversation to identify what they have, and how they can use what they have to secure what they need. The role of an effective community development practitioner it argues is to support those conversations to widen and deepen and to nour-ish this citizen led movement; but never to lead or speak for it.

Over the last twenty years, this simple but groundbreaking proposition has been successfully translated into practical ac-tion by a significant number of communities and by public sec-tor agencies, voluntary organisations, housing associations and local governments around the world as a means of effecting real, lasting social and economic change. The CADDIES Project team are thought leaders in this movement in Northern Europe, and this manual provides an important road map for those who want to join in.

Cormac Russell is the Managing Director of Nurture Development www.nurturedevelopment.ie, and faculty member of the ABCD Institute, Northwestern University, Illinois.

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Empowerment. Passion. Co-operation.

Three powerful words. Think about them. Could it work?

If you have a task, a business or a problem and you have these three ingredients – empowerment, passion and co-operation – do you think the combination could be something functional? Our firm belief is that it can be. And you will soon see why and how.

A caddie carries a golf player’s bag, and gives helpful advice and moral support. A good caddie is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, together with the best strategy to adopt when playing it. This is also what the CADDIES project has been about: providing support. The core objective of the project has been to find out how to motivate the different residential groups to participate and, in a sustain-able way, take responsibility for their own neighbourhoods. The golf analogy isn’t as far-fetched as it might sound: a caddie is someone who supports, gives advice and helps to choose the right tools. The caddie walks behind the player and doesn’t take action himself/herself. The caddie leaves both responsibi l i ty and freedom to the key player – in this case, a resident. This is the only way to empower people to become active in the development of their environment. This guide consists of ten caddies’ stories from Sweden, Finland and Latvia.

Towards empoweredneighbourhoods

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In theory, there are as many methods and thoughts on com-munity development as there are people working with it. No matter which method we decide to use or be inspired by, it will change from day one until the last day. All methods or ideas are adjusted to suit particular settings and adapted in some way to the environment where they happen. This manual is no different in that sense. We give you our full story, our step-by-step guid-ance, our best advice for communication, and the main things that have been learnt from the CADDIES experience – but feel free to be imaginative. All settings are unique, and no problems are overcome or benefits achieved using a simple copy and paste method. We have tried to produce a guide that gives you hints and suggestions on ways to do this, but you can adapt our suggestions to suit any setting and change them as you see fit. We hope that applying these methods to your own environment will bring you as much new knowledge and satis-faction as it did to us, resulting in many more stories to come!

.

Towards empoweredneighbourhoods – The Caddies’ Stories

The CADDIES project – Hyresbostäder i Norrköping AB, Helsinki Neighbourhoods Association, and Riga City Council Housing and Environment Department working in co-operation

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1. The importance of all actors’ involvement A coordinator to follow the process

2. Saying hello with a badge! Collect and tell the neighbourhood’s stories Methods for getting connected with your neighbours can be easy and effortless

3. Use informal situations to create relationships! Neighbours’ communication is a starting point! Go where the people are!

4. Create an initial spark of interest Explore existing resources Looking in same direction opens up new, broader opportunities for everyone

5. Lower threshold for participation Local actors as experts Two basic things are needed to start the action

What did we learn?

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What did we learn? Stories

Different actors but common priorities 14

Strengthening the neighbourhood identity by lifting community spirit 22

Neighbourhood Day – connecting people 30

Connecting local actors to boost local co-operation 38

Neighbourhood action group 46

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What did we learn?6. Look for real reasons for involvement The processes are long; keep people informed and updated in an honest way Reaching out to new target groups needs imagination

7. Passion overcomes bureaucracy! The right communication brings the right decisions! Do not give up after the first failure!

8. A meeting place is crucial for planning local actions Think outside the box Look for win-win solutions

9. Put passionate actors on the map! The more I know, the more I can do! There is always someone who can lead – find him!

10. Take the first initiative Interesting topics motivate action

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What did we learn?Reaching out for new target groups 54

One woman’s dream fulfils needs of the whole neighbourhood 62

Finding a common meeting place in the neighbourhood 70

A neighbourhood has a future, if it has leaders! 78

Improving neighbourhood traffic safety together with city officials 86

11. Final words from the project team 94

Stories

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Different actors but common priorities- Creating a common ‘wish list’ for the neighbourhood

There are politicians, teachers, neighbourhood administrators,

residents, volunteers; over 100 peo-ple gathered in the assembly hall at a Ringdansen school to discuss the issue of how to create sustainable neighbourhoods. People have differ-ent daily agendas, but they all have a common interest – to develop a better environment to live and work in.

The development of a neighbourhood is usu-ally carried out by many different actors, and is not always synchronized. All of these ac-tors have their own agendas, interests and backgrounds. But they all have something in common: an interest in doing something for the development of the area – to make it a better place to live in, work in or do busi-ness in. One part of the CADDIES concept is to bring ideas together and create a com-mon vision for a neighbourhood. So even if different actors have different roles in the development process, they will have commo

priorities. This was the wish in Ringdansen in Norrköping, where there are a lot of ac-tors involved, most of whom have their own agendas.

To achieve the goal of getting all the local stakeholders in the neighbourhood to meet,

“The Open Space method is a time limited meeting where the partici-pants themselves set the agenda.

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discuss and create a common priority list for a more sustainable neighbourhood, the Open Space* meeting method was used. The Open Space method is a time limited meeting where the participants themselves set the agenda. During the day the agenda and topics are discussed in small groups, and at the end all participants prioritize the topics of the day ac-cording to their importance for each individual organization or actor. A total of 19 questions or topics were discussed in Ringdansen dur-ing the day: how to create more opportunities for working in the area, how to increase the reputation of the area, how to get different ac-tors to work together, etc. All these questions and the discussions around them were com-piled in one document.

This is an extremely powerful democratic method, and the document is a useful in-strument since all participants have an equal amount of power, whether they are a politician or a resident. The result is a large number of ideas on the topics of the day, which are prioritised – prioritised by people who are actually affected by them.

* Read more about the Open Space Technology at www.wikipedia.org

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The importance of all actors’ involvement

A coordinator to follow the process

The Open Space Method creates a powerful document that can be utilized in many ways. A good idea is to have someone following the process before, during and after the event and who can give feedback to all actors involved. Let the process live.

What did we learn?

It’s difficult to protest when everyone has been involved! If all active mem-bers of a community take an equal part in agreeing the priorities for the development of the neighbourhood, you reduce the risk of actors going in their own direction.

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The invitation: words, design and facts! Think through your invitation. Does it attract all your target groups? Does it communicate what you want? Does it say what this is about? The invitation is your first impression – make the best of it!

Personally invite those you really want to be there. Some people get several invitations to differ-

ent events. Call and personally invite the key people to your event.

Document the day and give feedback. Participants need feedback after the event. Send out documentation of the day, with all the priorities and topics attached. All participants can be carriers of the results of the day.

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. The starting point is a need for A method to work with, like the Open Space. common priorities in a Knowledge about the method and what you neighbourhood can get out of it.

2. Decide on coordinators and an Decision on who will lead the process from Open Space leader beginning to end, and can facilitate the event. Someone who has knowledge of the Open Space method.

3. Prepare a guest list and an Go through your network and decide who you invitation – then invite! want to attract to the event and how they should be invited (orally, by e-mail, by post, etc.). Write an invitation that clearly states the purpose of the day and the event, and why the recipient of the invitation is important.

How a common priority list can become reality

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

4. Preparation for the seminar The venue for the event is important – make sure all people can fit into the chosen space. Order lunch, refreshments, etc., make the participants feel important and comfortable. Prepare material for documentation for all small group discussions. Go through the programme and the plan for the day to- gether with all personnel before the event.

5. Arrange the seminar Make sure there staff are available to inform participants of practical things like toilets, food, schedule for the day, etc. Have fun and enjoy the inspiring atmosphere!

6. Documentation Combine all the findings and discussions from the day, preferably with pictures, into one document that all participants can take in.

7. Feedback from the day and Send out or make sure all participants get indication of how this priority the feedback (documentation) from the list will be used in the future Open Space. Include some thoughts on how this material and results will be used in the future.

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"The city of Norrkoping has a mission: to use the results of

today when planning the work involving community development.

Many good suggestions have arisen during the day. Be sure

to spread the word and utilize the network we have created."

Margareta Wandel – Project Leader for the ‘Tänk Om’ project (Norrköping)

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Strengthening the neighbourhood identity by lifting community spirit

While walking in Kannelmäki, a neighbourhood in Helsinki, peo-

ple can be seen wearing badges on their coats and bags saying “Hello!”. This signals a wish to get to know oth-ers living in the area. The neighbour-hood identity is also reinforced each month, when a new “face of Kan-nelmäki” introduces himself or herself at a local meeting. What a great way to get to know one’s neighbours!

The idea of strengthening the neighbourhood identity in Kannelmäki started at a CADDIES project workshop, when the inhabitants expressed their wish to get to know their neighbours better and to emphasize the im-portance of greeting each other in the neigh-bourhood. It was decided that this should be done with “Say Hello!” badges. These would encourage people to get to know each other by saying hello. CADDIES project supported the campaign by purchasing materials and other equipment, and by providing assist-

ance with making the badges. The badges were made with different kinds of greeting texts like “Hi!” and “Hello!”. Different languag-es were also used to show that everyone should feel welcome in the neighbourhood. The badges were then given out at vari-ous CADDIES events, mostly during spring 2010. They proved extremely popular, and everyone wanted to have their own badge, so they soon ran out. Especially after these events, people wore colourful badges proud-ly around Kannelmäki – a wonderful sight!

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Another thing that the residents of Kan-nelmäki wanted to do to increase residents’ respect for their own neighbourhood was to present people living in the area. This was done by creating a Faces of Kannelmäki se-ries of events that would bring local talents to a stage. The idea was to search for lo-cal people or talents who could come and tell the audience about their special work or hobby. The local culture centre and library was inspired by the idea and offered its stage and café as an arena for discussion events. The series started in autumn 2010. The first guest was Alice Martin, a translator, who lives

in Kannelmäki. After the first event, there have been different local presentations about once a month. The Faces of Kannelmäki se-ries took its first steps during the CADDIES project workshops, but is now run solely by local actors. This is an excellent way of letting people know how many wonderful and inter-esting people live and work in their neigh-bourhood!

“”

Different languages were also used to show that everyone should feel welcome in the neighbourhood.

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Saying hello with a badge!

Methods for getting connected with your neighbours can be easy and effortless

Collect and tell the neighbourhood’s stories

A practical and fun first step to signal that you can be approached.

Everyone has as story to tell. Collecting and presenting them is a good way to get to know each other and build trust. En-joy the diversity and be proud of your neighbourhood!

These can be applied everywhere. Fun is the ingredient that attracts people of all ages, everywhere.

What did we learn?

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Show inspiration! If you’re not excited, nobody else will be ei-ther. There is no such thing as a crazy idea! The one who doesn’t listen is crazy.

Remember press releases Local events and campaigns can attract media attention. Positive articles will en-hance positive development and strengthen the effects of activities. You can maintain constant contact with local journalists!

Reward people by thanking them Remember the power of saying “thank you”! Getting positive feedback makes people want to be part of local activities in the future.

Archive activities online YouTube and other similar services are good places to share clips from local events.

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Decide what do you want to do Arrange a workshop for local actors to to strengthen neighbourhood’s gather all the ideas. Appoint a coordinator to identity guide the chosen action.

2. Find the right local partners for Contact local associations, corporations cooperation and active inhabitants. Form a group that will organise the action together with the coordinator. Point out that strengthening neighbourhood identity benefits all local actors. Try to get local sponsors to support the action.

3. Plan the action carefully Think about all the details and equipment needed and prepare the action. Make a schedule and a checklist to ensure that you remember all the details. Communicate about the action using a variety of channels.

How to strengthen the neighbourhood’s identity

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

4. Enjoy the moment When the action starts, show a good example by being in a good mood. Try to get new contacts to join the action. Enjoy the moment!

5. Think strategically After the activity is over, evaluate whether it is reasonable to continue in the same way or whether changes should be made. Has the local identity been strengthened in the neighbourhood? Don’t give up too easily – establishing good practices takes time.

6. Motivate people to continue Motivation is really important in voluntary the action work. Make sure that the people organising the action know that they are appreciated and that the work they are doing is valuable for the neighbourhood’s identity. That way they commit themselves to the action.

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"Kannelmaki is full of unique and talented people. Together they

form a rich and diverse ground for local activities. The Faces

of Kannelmaki evenings promote the fact that all of us are

important and can have our own role in the area."

Kimmo Rönkä – Inhabitant of Kannelmäki and one of the organisers of the Faces of

Kannelmäki events (Helsinki):

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Neighbourhood Day – connecting people- An opportunity to acknowledge who else lives in your building

The mobility of inhabitants in Riga is rather low, but often people living

in the same building does not know each other. There might be one active person who could be a good leader, but it is difficult for him to inform neighbours about his ideas because he does not know them well. Inhabit-ants do not know if they have other common interests apart from living in the same building.

In order to encourage closer co-operation between neighbours, a meeting called “Neighbours Day” was initiated by resident Marite from Plavnieki (a neighbourhood in the suburb of Latgale), who took part in some in-formation events organized by the CADDIES project. She realized that in order to find so-lutions to their housing problems, everyone has to unite and co-operate. Once they knew each other better, people would be able to express and share their thoughts, communi-cate with each other and promote their ideas.

Informal events/situations are the best ways for people to come one step closer to each other. Marite and the CADDIES team there-fore decided to organize several “Neighbours Days” in different places of the suburb of Lat-gale, inviting all those living nearby to take part in the event. For children, this process of unity was fairly straightforward, whereas older people were more suspicious to begin with. In addition, language barriers and shy-ness were also significant when trying to es-tablish communication.

However, despite two different communica-tion languages (Latvian and Russian), inhab-itants still had the same vision for the devel-opment of their neighbourhood as well as seeing good and bad sides to it. The ques-tionnaires completed by inhabitants after each informal meeting provided proof of this.

“”

Informal events/situations are the best ways for people to come one

step closer to each other.

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At the same time, the CADDIES team learned that informal, fun and attractive events are the best ways for inhabitants to get to know each other better, establish communication and spend their spare time in their neighbourhood together!

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Use informal situations to create relationships!

Go where the people are!

Neighbours’ communica-tion is a starting point!

It is easier to get acquainted with neighbours while people enjoy music or other perform-ances.

Building a sense of commu-nity in a neighbourhood takes time, but the process can start with events for the resi-dents of individual buildings.

One concrete way of involving people in the neighbourhood development process is to meet them on their own territory – in their yards.

What did we learn?

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Be creative! Use colourful, attractive and inspirational posters to inform people about the event!

Come closer to your target group! Visit places where people live, inform them about events in their neighbourhood. Inhab-itants will feel more confident and safe on their own territory!

Get off to a good start! Open the event with pleasant, good news or announcements. Starting by discussing problems can spoil the participants’ moods.

Do not forget to say “Thank you”! Take pictures of the event and send them to participants later on with feedback!

Remember to communicate!

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Neighbourhood Day – connecting people

HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Organize a small initiative group Share your idea with a few close neighbours in your building (maybe living on the same stairwell)

2. Create an action plan for Study the best practices of organizing a a concrete event Neighbours’ Day

3. Choose the venue for the event Such events have mostly been organized in the summer, in the courtyards. Try to get people out of their block

4. Prepare games, quizzes and Use existing organizations to take part in the performances for the event entertainment programme: representatives of nearby art or music schools, culture and sport centres – local talent. If there are no such organizations, invite professionals

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

5. Use attractive, eye-catching An informal style can encourage people to posters and verbal communi- take an interest and be motivated to cation to provide information participate about the event

6. Find sources for snacks and drinks As this kind of event is organised mostly in summer, it is good to have some refresh- ments for the participants. This will also reinforce the informal atmosphere of the event

7. Choose a leader for this event Look among the neighbours

8. Take part in the event yourself It is very important for people to see the organizers of the event in order to speak to them and thank them

9. Provide and receive feedback It is essential to have two-sided communi- cation. Thank your audience for their participation and ask them to share their feelings after the event

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"Start changing your neighbourhood from yourself: get in touch

with likeminded neighbours and remember that in informal

atmosphere it runs very nicely. When the first drop falls

into stagnant water there are always rings on water after it.

(waves always go further way)"

Marita Spudasa – local activist (Riga)

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Connecting local actors to boost local co-operation

It’s a warm June afternoon and 800 people have gathered at Ringdansen

Centrum. A group of Somalians are dancing and playing music; people are drinking coffee and tea and tasting dif-ferent cakes from all around the world. This was possible because a network of local actors started to co-operate and found the resources and energy within themselves.

It all started with a sense of frustration among three different actors (municipality, public housing company, youth centre) about the lack of co-operation and activities during the summer months in Ringdansen. There were a lot of events from September to May, but almost nothing from June to August due to vacations at the organizations responsible for arranging activities. At a first meeting of the three actors, the realization was that there are many more local actors in the neighbour-hood, but they all arranged activities on their own, just like the three actors in the meeting.

The idea of creating a forum of associations and actors – to create better co-operation and utilize the area’s resources – came up. The three actors started with a couple of ideas about collaborative activities that were suggested at this forum. There could be a cultural festival, sports evenings for young people and a common event calendar to in-clude all activities for the neighbourhood. These three activities were realized during the first summer. During the planning and the actual events, the initiative came from the

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original trio, while the associations listened and participated. The turning point came after these first common experiences when the question of the future was raised. All the actors had new ideas for activities and the motivation to continue the co-operation that had been initiated just a few months earlier.

Suddenly the actors that had been the listen-ers and participators during the first activi-ties became the initiators. And the initiators

could take a step back from being the main actors to become supporters of the process for creating further common activities in the neighbourhood.

“”

All actors had new ideas of activities and motivation

to continue.

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Create an initial spark of interest

Looking in same direction opens up new, broader opportunities for everyone

Explore existing resources

A great deal of positive energy and motivation exists within local networks – this just needs to be harnessed.

Every actor can contribute somehow. Use creativity and synergy to find resources for accomplishing common ideas!

By doing things together we gain much more than by doing things alone. The interest in a common neighbourhood can lead different actors to find ideas for fruit-ful co-operation.

What did we learn?

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Keep partners updated Make sure all actors receive feedback and updates from all relevant meetings. Not everyone can participate in every meeting. Providing updates is crucial in order to keep all partners in the loop.

Try different tools in your communication Services like Facebook can be used in the

network’s internal communication and as an information channel for local residents.

Common event calendar A calendar is a simple and useful tool to inform local people about all activities in the area. This can be made available online or as in printed form.

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Pick up the idea of co-operation At least one actor – initiator. An idea and a target for the network – some reason for cooperation.

2. Find existing associations and List of actors, communication with networked actors people in the area (exploration of the existing local networks).

3. Plan one or two activities which A strong CADDIES team who can do the local actors will arrange together initial difficult planning work. A planned common activity can be anything from neigh- bourhood cleaning sessions to a local festival or voluntary work at an old people’s home.

4. Invite and people to join activities Communication to the whole neighbourhood and provide information (flyers, Facebook, local website, event calen- dars, newspapers). Don’t forget the power of face-to-face information!

How a network of local actors can be arranged

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

5. Have an active role when the Depending on the activity you can do group/network carries out different things: coordinate, support, create common activities programmes, make coffee, etc. Remember that all kinds of resources are often found within the organizing network! Most importantly, you need enthusiasm and the willingness to throw yourself into the action.

6. Self-evaluation of the activity/ Good and open discussion among the activities participating network to receive and give feedback. Enhance the team spirit and highlight the benefits of this co-operation.

7. Continue the co-operation Now the focus should be on ideas coming from actors other than the initiators. Gradually leave the leadership role to other actors and become a Caddie.

8. Continuation of the process A passionate motivator who will safeguard the process and be an active supporter of the network.

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"When I looked at the crowd during the cultural festival in

Ringdansen, I realized just how powerful activities can be

when you plan them and carry them out together."

Anna Malmberg – Coordinator of tenant co-operation (Norrköping):

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Neighbourhood action group – Mobilization towards common goals

Inspiration is contagious! This was noticed when a caddie (a CADDIES

project worker) came to Pohjois-Haa-ga, a neighbourhood in Helsinki, where there had been a variety of neighbour-hood activities a couple of decades ago, but which had faded as the years passed. Now, thanks to the initiative of the caddie and the energy of local people, neighbourhood activities are blossoming again.

When the caddie first turned her eyes to-wards Pohjois-Haaga she started by creating a list of local actors. To get others involved, she knew that she first had to involve herself. She therefore found out what was happen-ing in the neighbourhood and went where the people were to meet them. After making enough contacts, she invited local actors and inhabitants to workshops to create common visions and action plans for the neighbour-hood. And the workshops were a hit! There had been lots of activism “bubbling under”, and many people had been waiting for the

opportunity to take part in common initiatives at neighbourhood level.

Two local action groups were initiated in the workshops – the Environment Group and Let’s Do It Together group. Since then, a great deal has happened in Pohjois-Haaga: community clean-up days, summer mar-kets, a crossing watch campaign (volunteers ensuring the safety of children on their way to school) and cooperation with a local re-tirement home to organize activities for the

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elderly. This culminated in a big neighbour-hood festival being organized in May 2011.

The caddie has assisted by coordinating the action groups, but as the activities have be-come more organized, the coordination of responsibilities has been transferred to the group members and the caddie has been able to take a step back. Excellent coop-eration has been established with the local library, which offers its premises as meeting place for the groups. One element that keeps

the action groups going strong is combining efficiency and fun in the right proportions. Just as important as tangible results is good company and having coffee and cookies at meetings – many ladies actually bake for the meetings! Another important aspect is shar-ing responsibilities – there are no obligations in action groups, and everyone can do as much or as little as he or she feels comfort-able with. Now the action groups in Pohjois-Haaga function as meeting forums, bringing local actors and inhabitants together on a regular basis to make plans for the neigh-bourhood. It has been proven that coopera-tion is the key, and that joining forces really pays off!

“”

Just as important as tangible results is good company and having coffee

and cookies at meetings

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Lower threshold for participation

Two basic things are needed to start the action

Local actors as experts

It is good that the work of the action group is flexibly organ-ized and based on voluntary input. Encourage people to share responsibilities as much as possible.

In the action group process a caddie can be an initializer, coordinator, mediator, facilita-tor and catalyst. But the ones that bring substance to the process are the local actors and inhabitants – the experts on their own neighbourhood.

A coordinator and a local network, e.g. in a form of a list of local actors.

What did we learn?

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Use multichannel communication… to gain as much coverage and visibility as possible: Posters, flyers, emails, neighbour-hood websites, social media, newspapers. Also remember the power of word-of-mouth marketing!

Concreteness is attractive When promoting action groups to recruit new members, invite people to join tangible

activities that are appealing or meaningful for them. It’s easier to come to a meeting as a new person if you have a clear image in mind of what the voluntary work is about. Keep the threshold low!

Communicate effectively within the group Select a responsible person to keep the e-mail list updated and keep the network going.

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Create a list of local actors Search the Internet, go where the people are, ask them about their contacts

2. Explore possible meeting places If the neighbourhood lacks a community building, schools, libraries, churches, etc. may be willing to offer their premises for use

3. Organize a common workshop/ Communicate in a multichannel way. Plan meeting forum the event carefully. Encourage people to cre- ate local visions/action plans. Form action groups around the most popular topics.

4. Help the action groups to get started Be involved and show genuine interest! At – be a coordinator first the group needs help in organizing itself – help them to define aims and give assist- ance in practical matters such as writing meeting memos, convening the meetings, etc. The substance must come from the local actors; the caddie only coordinates the action.

How can a caddie support and facilitate local action groups?

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

5. Support the action groups in When the group starts to put its action their activities plans into practice, offer your assistance where needed. Help with making contacts, writing news, organizing events, recruiting new group members, etc. Be a partner!

6. Provide tools for continuing the As the local actors start taking more and work independently more responsibility, the caddie can adopt a less active role. Give tips how to make things run smoothly: tasks can be shared and rotated within the group, each sub project needs a coordinator, someone should take care of the list of members, etc. Here you need to delegate and motivate!

7. Give background support After withdrawing from active role in the groups, the caddie can still be there to give advice and counselling when needed.

8. Remember to give credit Always remember to give local actors credit for achievements.

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"Involve yourself and the involvement of others will come! Be

there as your own person, with all your heart and as an

equal partner with the local actors. "

Terhi Vilkman – Neighbourhood Action Coordinator (Helsinki):

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Reaching out for new target groups - Be creative, find key persons, give feedback.

If you do the same things as you always have done, you will achieve

the same results as before. This rule of thumb had become very obvious in the Ljura neighbourhood (Norrköping), where inhabitants were living their lives without being concerned about the thi-ngs that were happening around them. To activate these people, a totally dif-ferent and new approach was needed.

The public housing company is an impor-tant actor in Ljura, where many development projects were about to take place. Active participation by the inhabitants in these proc-esses would boost the development and give better results for the whole community.Reaching people living in Ljura had been a challenge. Young people and families in particular were missing from traditional resi-dents’ meetings, in which few active people were participating. To encourage new people to join, a new method was tested with two principles: 1. People will participate in issues

that affect them. 2. Participation needs to be fun and easy.

Based on earlier knowledge, a park located in the middle of the area was an important topic for inhabitants. This was chosen as an issue and also as a location for a new approach.

“”

Young people and families in particular were missing from

traditional residents’ meetings

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To fulfil principle number 2, the needs of a target group were analyzed: Young adults will participate if there are safe activities for their children and if the time of the event fits around family life. On that basis the event was arranged on a Saturday, with activities for children while their parents were contrib-uting to the park’s development issues in various ways.

Families walked around the park between activity stations (e.g. pony riding, music, quiz). Adults marked locations for improve-ment on a large map, held brainstorming sessions about different future scenarios, and provided ideas for activities that could be arranged in the park. People got involved by writing, talking and drawing. At the end of the tour they could give their contact information if they wanted to receive a newsletter by e-mail – an easy and commitment-free way to be part of local processes.

The event was a success! Lots of people participated and the spirit was inspiring. Many people gave their contact information for the newsletter. At the time of writing, the concrete improvements in the park are still in progress. Neighbourhood development processes often take a long time from plan-ning to concrete actions. The focus since the park event has been on keeping people updated about the situation. In this case an event for providing feedback and thanking participants was arranged two months after the event in the park.

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Look for real reasons for involvement

Reaching out to new target groups needs imagination

The processes are long; keep people informed and updated in an honest way

People will join if the topic is relevant to them. On the other hand, there must be opportu-nities and resources to take people’s ideas further after the initial approach.

Don’t remain silent even if the implementation process takes longer than expected. People will understand delays if the information is honest and open!

Methods should be fun and easy, and should give participants the impression that they are doing something useful. Only new methods and new approaches will give you new results!

What did we learn?

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Different people – different channels Choose the channel that is effective for your target group. Ask participants at events how they heard about the event to find out how information spreads.

State in the invitation who is invited Attract adults by having activities for children and explaining in the invitation that kids can participate in the company of their parents.

Follow-up online An easy way for people to keep track of the process is to publish all materials and future plans online.

Contact with key people The most active participants are your key people. Maintaining a constant relationship with them keeps the process moving.

Remember to communicate!

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How to get new people to participate

HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Identify an issue that is important A questionnaire, neighbourhood SWOT for people and useful for the de- analysis or e.g. interviews. velopment of the neighbourhood.

2. Choose a method that suits for Use different methods in parallel so that peo- your target group. ple can contribute in several ways. Imagina- tion and creativity while planning the method!

3. Choose a location and time that Knowledge about your target group. Permis- suits your target group. sion may be needed to arrange an event in a particular place (e.g. a public park).

4. Inform people about the event/ Knowledge about which channels are effec- approach in plenty of time via tive with your target group. Repetition and many channels. Produce an reminders are important! Use colours and attractive invitation. attractive idioms!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

5. Prepare and carry out the event/ Enthusiasm! Happiness about even small Create relationships and try to contributions from people – that’s the first find key persons from the area. step to commitment. Ask for contact information!

6. Give feedback after the A quick summary/feedback after the event event/approach. e.g. by e-mail. Remember to say thank you!

7. Keep people updated about the For instance a newsletter or a continuation situation, even if implementing event some months late. Implementation people’s ideas takes a long time. can be split into several steps so that small “wins” are achieved along the way.

8. Continue to build commitment Constant contact with the most enthusiastic and trust with your key people. people. E.g. follow-up meetings, brainstor- ming. Using them as “an advisory board”.

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"This has been a great day. Lots of people have participated

and we have received a huge number of ideas regarding the

park. This feels really good!"

Jan Nilsson – Local public housing company manager (Norrköping)

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One woman’s dream fulfils needs of the whole neighbourhood- The story of Baiba’s crossing

Baiba, a mother of three children, was worried about safety on her

children’s route to school in Riga. She wrote to the city officials asking them to improve the situation. The city officials refused to do anything. Communication by letter took a long time. Meeting with the CADDIES team provide to be a crucial point. Now there are traffic lights and crossroads between two schools!

The issue of pedestrian crossing arrange-ments between two schools arose in 2009, when the mother of three children living next to the school expressed her concerns about her children’s safety. It was dangerous to cross the road there. Baiba wrote a letter asking to erect traffic lights between the two schools. Signatures were collected from the residents of the surrounding buildings. How-ever, this did not prompt officials to act. They felt that the traffic was not particularly busy, and that there was no need for new meas-

ures. They argued that a road sign saying “Attention – children!” was enough.

However, parents noticed that drivers did not slow down, because of the sign was ob-scured by trees. Baiba did not give up – she came to the CADDIES team and asked them to help her find the right solution. To begin with, the CADDIES team simply showed her how to write official letters and formulate re-quests. The CADDIES team thought Baiba’s lack of knowledge had been the barrier to

“”

All actors had new ideas of activities and motivation

to continue.

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successful cooperation, but also a well-structured and formulated letter was turned down by the officials again.

As traffic safety is one of the aspects of neighbourhood development, the CADDIES team decided to play a more active role in the process. A representative from the Traffic Department was invited to take part in a resi-dents’ meeting to discuss this issue. It was agreed to erect an additional sign for driv-ers. But even that wasn’t enough, and safety remained a problem. The next letter was written, with a request to build a pedestrian crossing. The reply recommended that the regulations and technical standards should be studied; the officials stated that there was

such a great unsolvable difficulty with this crossing that it would be better to forget it.

At one point, it seemed that Baiba had given up. The process was very long and unpro-ductive, but the safety of hundreds of pupils crossing the road was more important. The final decision was made during a face-to-face meeting with the head of Riga’s City Council Traffic Committee. This turned out to be the right thing to do. After six months the long-awaited result was achieved: traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing were erected between two schools.

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Passion overcomes bureaucracy!

Do not give up after the first failure!

The right communication brings the right decisions!

The implementation of some new inhabitants’ initiatives requires flexibility in officials’ plans. Only a passionate actor is able to overcome their indis-position and difficult bureau-cratic processes.

Different means of communi-cation have different strengths and take different lengths of time. You can begin with a phone call, continue by writ-ing, and finish with a face-to-face meeting.

If someone is confident in his intention, he should be patient and prepared to continue despite many difficulties.

What did we learn?

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A goal – to be understood When writing an official letter, try to be as precise and detailed as possible. Describe the situation to make it clear what the real problem is and why it is important to solve it.

Use a correct and constructive style when appealing A positive attitude is difficult to resist.

Approach officials with a polite attitude and avoid using an accusatory tone when com-municating.

Communicate the result! When the result – a crossing in this case – has been achieved, inform neighbours and those involved about your achievement. Let them know and be inspired!

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Identify the problem Look around with owner’s eyes

2. Find support for your idea Find people who have the same opinion, share your idea with them

3. Get to know who is responsible Contact local officials (e.g. executive board) for solving such problems in – write them a letter your neighbourhood

4. Do not give up if they refuse Repeat the process: find strong arguments, your request at the first attempt be patient in explaining your needs

5. Do not give up if they refuse Search for an ally – someone who is your request at the second attempt interested in your success

6. Do not give up if they refuse your Search together for the right “level” to request at the third attempt influence the officials (e.g. city council level)

How to get traffic lights erected in your neighbourhood

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"I am pleased with what has been achieved. But I am sorry

that here in developed Europe such a small need creates

such a huge problem. Anyway, I am now confident that my

youngest daughter and her classmates are safe on

their way to school."

Baiba Giptere – project activist (Riga)

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Finding a common meeting place in the neighbourhood - The story of the library cellar

Stepping down the staircase into the basement of Pohjois-Haaga

library in Helsinki, the excited buzz of conversation gets louder. Entering the room, you notice a group of lo-cals holding a planning session for an upcoming event. A library employee, Jouko, saw the need and the opportu-nity presented by the library’s forgot-ten storage room, resulting in a free meeting space!

There has been a serious lack of meeting spaces for inhabitants and local actors in Po-hjois-Haaga for years. The suburb was built in the 1950s when the idea of building com-mon meeting spaces was not yet as popular among city planners as it is today. In Poh-jois-Haaga there is a special spirit, though, among the employees working in the local small but modern and flexible library. They are very open to new ideas! A need for a meet-ing place arose when arranging a visioning workshop in the area. Jouko realized that

the library actually had a room in the base-ment which was currently being used for storage. At first the space looked hopeless: dark, dusty, messy and hardly suitable for a meeting room. But the library employees soon cleaned it up, and a pleasant, furnished meeting space emerged from the old storage room. The workshop and the meeting space were an instant success!

Since then, many local groups and asso-ciations have had their meetings there. The

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library is a low threshold, neutral place, and is also able to provide the space free of charge. So rising to the occasion, and a sudden reali-zation and trying out an idea, started a proc-ess which has brought benefits for the whole neighbourhood. The new local free meeting space has provided great publicity for the li-brary, too, resulting in a greater numbers of li-brary users. And this in turn may lead to more funds from the city – this community work may result in an increased budget for the library, since the city has proposed cuts in

budgets for some local services whose user numbers are not increasing. So this benefi-cial co-operation has helped to keep a vital local service in the neighbourhood – for the good of the citizens and the city. An absolute win-win solution!

“”

Since then, many local groups and associations have had their

meetings there.

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A meeting place is crucial for planning local actions

Look for win-win solutions

Think outside the box

The whole neighbourhood can’t fit into someone’s home. The meeting place needs to be neutral, so that everyone feels welcome to enter. (For exam-ple, not everyone wants to come to a church or a bar.)

Go through all the spaces in your neighbourhood that could be suit-able for a common meeting place. Be inventive – a suitable space can emerge from an unusual source.

What did we learn?

Turning an empty space into an active meeting place can also benefit the owner of the space.

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Spread the word of your idea from the start Communicate to the rest of the neighbour-hood why a common meeting place is needed. Talk to as many people as possible. Co-operation can arise from anywhere.

Spread the word when you’ve reached your goal Inform the neighbourhood about the new meeting place using all the local commu-

nication channels available. You can get more users and strengthen your ‘case’ only by letting everyone know about the new possibility.

Spread the word of common rules It is worth having a commonly accepted code of how to use the meeting space in writing form, and for this to be available to everyone via different channels.

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Start from the need – a common A real need in the neighbourhood: a common, meeting place neutral and free meeting space is usually essential for planning and organizing common activities.

2. Share the idea of a common Share your need with many people as meeting place around possible, using relevant reasoning. Don’t forget to ask public servants or companies.

3. When looking for possibilities, Innovative spirit: grab even the unusual pos- think outside the box sibilities and try them out without prejudice. Make use of lucky chances!

How to create a common meeting space

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

4. Look for win-win solutions Find out about existing resources in the area. Think about the benefits for both the users and the owners of the space. You might find a solution which benefits both parties even more than expected.

5. Share information about the Spread the word about the meeting place. meeting place locally Getting the place widely known results in more users and more activities in the neighbourhood. Use all local networks and channels when spreading the information.

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"Caddie’s task is to carry what can sometimes be quite a

heavy bag of clubs – hitting the ball is the role of the local

actors themselves."

Jouko Tikkanen, an employee from Pohjois-Haaga library in Helsinki

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A neighbourhood has a future, if it has leaders! - A story about leaders’ learnings – how local actors became leaders.

A leader is a catalyst for proc-esses in society, is visible from a

distance, and is able to lead people – sometimes even without knowing where. He or she needs help from a manager, a more composed person who knows where to lead. A leader should have charismatic features and practical management skills. Just wanting to be a leader is not enough – skills and knowledge are needed, too.

When solving the task of how to intensify in-habitants’ involvement in the development of a neighbourhood, it was decided to or-ganise educational courses for those people who –independently, and with great passion – participated in social processes; in other words, ACTIVISTS. It was planned to teach activists to communicate with other people and to motivate them, and to demonstrate fundamental cooperative techniques as well as rational problem-solving methods.

Thirty-three hours of seminars and practical workshops were held. Leader Seminars be-gan in summer 2010. The preparation con-sisted of advertising future seminars, forming a group and working on the content of the seminars. Seminars started on October 4th. Participants were active, discussed the top-ics, and shared ideas and knowledge. Activ-ists listened with respect to those inhabitants who shared their own experiences. There was great enthusiasm following the presen-tation of positive experiences from Helsinki Neighbourhoods Association. The final task of the Leader Seminars was for inhabitants

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to create a concrete community strengthen-ing plan and future development processes in their neighbourhood.

The work presented showed how diverse the needs were and how different the plans were: to organize neighbours’ event to get to know each other, to make the area greener, and to build a children’s playground.

Participants at the seminars were given cer-tificates. Nevertheless, the leaders wanted to know more, especially about communication

skills. At their request, eight hours of socio-psychological training was organised on the theme of communication. Students from a master’s programme in psychology assisted. They needed an audience for practice, and we needed trainers! This was a fortunate coin-cidence. It was also an opportunity to provide all the actors with training in their native lan-guage, in two groups. A final survey confirmed that the leaders felt more confident, found as-sociates among neighbours, and found a ba-sis for cooperation with other residents. The results of the seminars have proven to be sustainable, with one of the leaders starting a project on playground arrangements in the neighbourhood at the beginning of 2011.

“ ”Nevertheless, the leaders

wanted to know more

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Put passionate actors on the map!

There is always someone who can lead – find him!

The more I know, the more I can do!

Passion is a key psycho-logical feature for those who initiate processes. Their energy can activate other people.

Education provides actors with a wider view of things and provides new tools and skills.

Our task is to help an actor who is respe-cted by the majority to become a formal leader and to support him or her.

What did we learn?

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Find the active ones! Use existing databases or websites to find people who have tried to initiate some im-provements or tried to start the process, but who have not had an opportunity until now.

Be open and accessible! Assist participants during their education – help them to find the information needed or give advice. Establish confidence in them!

Maintain relationships Keep in touch with actors after the educa-tion course, and ask for feedback.

Be flexible! If you see that the group does not have a common language, try to find an opportunity to organize bilingual groups in several languages.

Remember to communicate!

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How do actors become leaders?

HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Arrange an information campaign Use radio and local websites, put up posters and flyers in public places. Ask for help from building management companies.

2. Identify the candidates Select applicants by asking to them fill in the questionnaire to obtain information about applicants’ addresses, experience and intentions. Provide information about the learning language if necessary.

3. Create the programme content Search among existing educational pro time and a table for classes grammes. Identify the group’s needs. Adapt the programme to suit actual needs.

4. Search for experts Carry out negotiations with potential lecturers, draw up labour agreements.

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

5. Search for a seminar venue Find the most suitable and technically equipped venue for seminars and sign a rental agreement.

6. Be close to the participants Psychological accompaniment of education. Participate in seminars, check attendance, organize a final survey and ask about future plans.

7. Continue to monitor the group Take periodical feedback to “leaders”, ask about activities and other news, support them.

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"Seminars provided the opportunity to communicate with like-

minded persons, inspiration for further actions and support

in daily problems. When you are deeply unhappy, convince

your mind to pay attention to smaller current amenities."

Lidija Gorbika – participant at educational seminars (Riga) :

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Improving neighbourhood traffic safety together with city officials

A group of residents interested in im-proving traffic safety in the Artova

area (Helsinki) is examining the results of a survey together with city officials. Several improvements to the area’s traffic safety are being proposed. The officials are satisfied with the fruitful discussion and the valuable results of the survey, which was coordinated by the residents themselves.

Artova’s Traffic Safety Group knew what they were aiming for from the start. They needed a little support, though, to realize the idea of conducting a wider local traffic safety survey. They got it from a caddie, through the whole process, and were able to achieve extremely tangible results. The group was able to get in contact with the area’s traffic planning of-ficials and, ultimately, their request to change a speed limit was accepted.

Besides clear goals, good cooperation re-quires sharing of common tasks. As early

as their second meeting, the group divided their area into four sections, each of which was assigned to one group member. Each one had the task of mapping the traffic-relat-ed problems in that particular section of the neighbourhood. Later on, observations were discussed together with the whole group. This gave everyone a ‘bigger picture’ of the most pressing traffic problems in the area.

The Traffic Safety Group wanted to move even further. They therefore decided to organise an

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even wider survey, in which every resident of the area could have their say. The survey was conducted using an Internet-based platform and help from an external expert and the CADDIES project. A great deal of data was collected from the local residents. The next task for the group was to identify the main themes from all the collected data. These findings were then presented to the city plan-ning officers of Helsinki, who were extremely grateful to receive such professional feed-back direct from residents. The group has also received a lot of positive feedback from the residents of the area. One major achieve-ment – the reduction in traffic on a main road in the area – has not gone unnoticed.

“”

Besides clear goals, good cooperation requires sharing of

common tasks.

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Take the first initiative

Interesting topics motivate action

What can we do ourselves to attract the interest of the city of-ficials? Do something concrete, like collecting local information, and offer it to city officials.

For instance, “safety” as a theme creates widespread interest and encourages people to participate.

What did we learn?

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Make contact with key decision makers If you know the key players in the field it is much easier to have an influence on impor-tant decisions.

Use digital technology By using online survey platforms you can easily map the opinions of a large number of people and thus democratize decision-

making processes. There are several free websites for creating surveys.

Find out what kind of expertise you have within your group By having an open dialogue within your group you will get more resources to use when you find out more about each other’s skills and strengths.

Remember to communicate!

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

1. Pick up the theme of cooperation No action is possible without an initiator. The and encourage people to participate participation threshold should be very low for newcomers.

2. Get to know each other By getting to know each other you can make the most of the group’s potential and have more fun!

3. Create principles of action Think about whether you just want to have a good time together or have good time and also achieve something.

4. Draw up an action plan It is vital to have concrete and realistic goal as early as possible.

5. Map the targets of development Create a general overview of the current situation in the area: problems and targets of development. Delegate responsibilities. - Each person should have their own area of responsibility.

How to proceed with a thematic team

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HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN WHAT IS NEEDED?

6. Network Find out who the key players are connected to your team (public servants, firms, NGOs) and make contact with them. This way you can get to the source of the best information and have discussions with people who can really influence things.

7. Use your strengths Utilize information technology if you can or if you have people around you who can assist you. Make the most of your professional contacts.

8. Influence Think carefully what your main message is and try to find the best means to disseminate it as widely as possible. Spread the message of your actions and achievements!

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"Having a good time is most important when dedicated

volunteers come together. The Slow city' concept helped us

to focus; safety and comfort were our constant goals. Not

all goals will be reached, but we are continuing to strive

towards them."

Mårten Bjurström, a resident and activist from the Artova area in Helsinki:

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This guide is a product of a team of community developers – caddies – living and working in Sweden, Finland and Latvia. In 2009, the organizations behind this team received three years of financing from the EU, with the task of developing and testing methods and working models which will empower and enable different residential groups to take charge of the development of their own environment.

From the very beginning, the common aim was to compile all learning into a guide – the guide that you are holding right now. Instead of just writing a project report, the team wanted to cre-ate something more lasting and sustainable – something that would inspire other “caddies” all over the world to see their role with new eyes. This had happened to the CADDIES team dur-ing the project period.

The strong experience of the CADDIES project has resulted in many emotions and comments from the CADDIES team. You might have already experienced some of these on previous pages, but the aim of this chapter is to express some funda-mental points and introduce the teams.

Final words from the project team

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Final words from the project team I think empowerment is an important issue to

work with because…“It strengthens people from inside.

Both people themselves and neighbourhood gain from it.”

Alexandra Lindén – Experienced customer expert (Norrköping)

“Empowerment is a key factor when we want every one of us to carry responsibility of our neighbourhoods.” Anna Kanervo – Enthusiastic community developer (Helsinki, Norrköping)

“I think I have witnessed true empowerment when I have seen people at first hesitant thinking ‘Am I

good for this?’, to actively and passionately work for goals important for them as

well as for the community.” Terhi Vilkman – Open-hearted

neighbourhood agent (Helsinki)

“Empowerment is important because it has a potential to increase the political, social and economic strength of individuals and communities. When people start to believe in their own capacities, everything is possible.” Hannu Ikäheimo – Easy-going budget planner (Helsinki)

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My strongest experience from the CADDIES project is…

“Sitting in a room filled with associations. The question of what we want to do next comes up. And the ideas just keep on coming! None of the ideas was from a Caddie or from any official. All ideas came from people living in and acting in the area.” Caroline Blomgren – Social integration enthusiast (Norrköping)

“The realization that inhabitants ARE really ACTIVE!”

Alise Gedgauda – Optimistic idea supporter (Riga)

“During Neighbours Days last summer – it was a great satisfaction to see how neighbours met for the first time. Without CADDIES it probably wouldn’t have happened.” Vineta Darzniece – happy to be a CADDIE ( Riga)

For me, being a caddie means…

“I have really enjoyed being a caddie, not only professionally but also in my private life. The toolbox you possess as a caddie is priceless and invaluable.”

Thomas Gustafsson – A proud CADDIES project member (Norrköping)

“Being a caddie is a never-ending learning process.” Pirjo Tulikukka – Idealistic empowerment enthusiast (Helsinki)

“It’s rather a hard work to be simply a caddie not a leader who does everything. Caddie is a supporter, encourager and

motivator but not a doer.” Margarita Scadrina – enthusiastic neighbourhoods’ communicator (Riga)

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“I’m proud of being a caddie and I feel big responsibility.” Larisa Abelite – person with positive way of thinking (Riga)

My tip for other caddies…

“Take time, respect differences between people and meet them in their own surroundings.”

Martin Callmeryd – Communication lover (Norrköping)

“When there is no need for a caddie anymore, you’ll know that you have done a great job.” Päivi Savol-ainen – Consistent community communicator (Helsinki)

“Openness, respect and patience – in communica-tion; passion and industry – in co-operation.”

Ilona Kalva – A slightly reserved teller and industrial enough doer (Riga)

“New, social technology will change future of com-munication, and empower more dynamic communi-ties. Be brave to use it!” Ilari Kajaste – A fairly social IT specialist (Helsinki)

“Bring your heart in what you do! It’s more fun for yourself and for those you meet.” Anna Malmberg – Curious project

coordinator (Norrköping)

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CADDIES – Creating Attract ive, Developed and Dynamic Societ ies together with Inhabitants –was a project financed by the European Union (Central Baltic Interreg IV A Programme 2007-2013). It started in March 2009 and ended at the end of 2011. The project’s lead partner was Hyresbostäder i Norrköping AB (a public housing company in Norrköping, Sweden). The other partners were Helsinki Neigh-bourhoods Association (an NGO with a goal of enhancing dia-logue between the City of Helsinki and its residents, Finland) and Riga City Council Housing and Environment Department (Riga, Latvia).The core objective of the three Central Baltic partners was to find out how to motivate the different residential groups to par-ticipate in community development processes and, in a sustain-able way, take responsibility for their own building/block/neigh-bourhood. All partners are actively involved in neighbourhood development in the cities of Norrköping, Helsinki and Riga.

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© CADDIES 2011 Design by Anna Jonsson www.annajonsson.eu

The publication reflects the authors’ views and the Managing Authority cannot be held liable for the information published by the project partners.

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This is a practical guide for people who are interested in community development. The approach in this guide reflects the principle of sustainability, the need for passion and the belief in co-operation when creating attractive neighbourhoods.The content covers ten selected examples of community development processes from three countries (Sweden, Finland and Latvia). These stories were part of a project entitled CADDIES (Creating Attractive, Developed and Dynamic Societies together with Inhabitants). During the years 2009-2011, the CADDIES project has tested and developed methods which will empower and enable different residential groups to take charge of the development of their own environment. The most important findings and stories have been collected in this guide to offer new points of view and inspiration in the field of neighbourhood action.

This is a practical guide for people who are interested in community development. The approach in this guide reflects the principle of sustainability, the need for passion and the belief in co-operation when creating attractive neighbourhoods.The content covers ten selected examples of community development processes from three countries (Sweden, Finland and Latvia). These stories were part of a project entitled CADDIES (Creating Attractive, Developed and Dynamic Societies together with Inhabitants). During the years 2009-2011, the CADDIES project has tested and developed methods which will empower and enable different residential groups to take charge of the development of their own environment. The most important findings and stories have been collected in this guide to offer new points of view and inspiration in the field of neighbourhood action.